In general, a laundry machine is a product that removes a variety of contaminants adhered to clothes, bedclothes, etc. using emulsification, friction of a water stream caused by rotation of a pulsator or drum, and shock applied to laundry, for example. Recently launched fully automatic laundry machines automatically perform a series of processes in the sequence of, a washing course, a rinsing course, and a dehydration course, for example, without user manipulation.
In addition, a laundry machine with a drying function is one kind of laundry machine that may not only perform the aforementioned washing function, but also dry washed laundry. One example of the laundry machine with a drying function is a condensation type washing and drying machine in which air discharged from a tub is sequentially subjected to condensation, moisture removal, and heating, and then is returned into the tub.
Hereinafter, a conventional condensation type laundry machine with a drying function will be described in brief with reference to the accompanying drawing. FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a conventional laundry machine.
As exemplarily shown in FIG. 1, the laundry machine with a drying function 10 includes a cabinet 11 internally defining an accommodation space, a tub 12 accommodated in the cabinet 11, a drum 13 rotatably disposed in the tub 12, a condensation duct 14 connected to the exterior of the tub 12, in which condensation of humid air discharged from the tub 12 occurs, a heating duct 15 connected to a downstream end of the condensation duct 14 in an air flow direction, in which the air is heated by a heater 16 and is introduced into the tub 12, and a blower fan 17 to circulate the air of the tub 12 through the condensation duct 14 and the heating duct 15.
The laundry machine with a drying function 10 as described above functions to dry laundry using rotation of the drum 13 as well as hot air that is generated as the air circulated by the blower fan 17 is heated by the heater 16 provided in the heating duct 15 and the heated air is supplied into the tub 12.
Thereafter, the heated air, used to dry laundry, becomes humid as the laundry is dried, and is discharged from the tub 12 into the condensation duct 14 such that moisture contained in the air is removed in the condensation duct 14. Here, to condense the humid air within the condensation duct 14, cold water is supplied into the condensation duct 14. Meanwhile, the air introduced into the condensation duct 14 is resupplied into the heating duct 15 by the blower fan 17, and the aforementioned proceeds continuously such that the air is continuously circulated.
Meanwhile, the aforementioned condensation duct 14 takes the form of a pipe in consideration of the blowing capacity of the blower fan 17 and efficient air movement. The condensation duct 14 removes moisture contained in the humid air by condensing the moisture via heat exchange between the humid air and an inner surface of the condensation duct 14. To condense the moisture of the humid air introduced into the condensation duct 14 in the aforementioned manner, it may be necessary to continuously supply a great quantity of cold water during drying of laundry.
However, the area of the condensation duct 14 for heat exchange with the humid air has conventionally been very small, and requires a relatively great quantity of cold air for a long time, which may cause waste of the cold water.
In addition, during drying of laundry, lint contained in the laundry may be moved, along with air, through the condensation duct 14, thus remaining in the condensation duct 14, the blower fan 17, the heating duct 15, etc. The lint remaining in the condensation duct 14 may reduce efficiency of the condensation duct 14, the lint remaining in the blower fan 17 may cause breakdown of the blower fan 17, and the lint remaining in the heating duct 15 may cause breakdown or fire of the heater 16 disposed in the heating duct 15.
Therefore, a lint filter to filter the lint contained in hot air to be introduced into the condensation duct 14 may be required, and maintenance/repair management of the lint filter must thus be frequently performed.